The Oscar-nominated actor and the boss of Xl Recordings – now a synth-pop duo performing ghostly songs with lyrics rooted in childhood trauma – discuss the healing power of making art
Inside a rehearsal space scented with essential oils, a new, unlikely electro-art-pop duo are preparing for their live debut. Called Sam Morton, they are the collaborative pairing of the twice-Oscar-nominated actor, director and writer Samantha Morton and the celebrated producer, songwriter and boss of Xl Recordings Richard Russell. Morton, wearing denim dungarees, is singing the fluty, jazzy, bassy, atmospheric Let’s Walk in the Night while Russell, in jeans and a graffitied white T-shirt, hunches over production consoles, alongside a keyboard player and a guitarist.
We are in the Copper House, Russell’s personal studio. It is characterised by an undeniable vibe: a lime-green artwork on a scarlet wall announces “Residence LA Revolution”; the phrase “Fate Is Decided”, alongside descriptions of cloud formations,...
Inside a rehearsal space scented with essential oils, a new, unlikely electro-art-pop duo are preparing for their live debut. Called Sam Morton, they are the collaborative pairing of the twice-Oscar-nominated actor, director and writer Samantha Morton and the celebrated producer, songwriter and boss of Xl Recordings Richard Russell. Morton, wearing denim dungarees, is singing the fluty, jazzy, bassy, atmospheric Let’s Walk in the Night while Russell, in jeans and a graffitied white T-shirt, hunches over production consoles, alongside a keyboard player and a guitarist.
We are in the Copper House, Russell’s personal studio. It is characterised by an undeniable vibe: a lime-green artwork on a scarlet wall announces “Residence LA Revolution”; the phrase “Fate Is Decided”, alongside descriptions of cloud formations,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Sylvia Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
British actor, writer, and director Samantha Morton will be awarded the BAFTA Fellowship at next week’s Ee BAFTA Film Awards.
Born in Nottingham in 1977, Morton garnered international attention in 1997 with her performance in Carine Adler’s Under the Skin, earning her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for Best Actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award first for Best Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and later for Best Actress for Jim Sheridan’s In America (2003).
Other notable film credits include work with directors such as Lynne Ramsay on Morvern Callar (2002), for which she won Best Performance, Toronto Film Critics Award and a BIFA for Best Actress; Steven Spielberg on Minority Report (2002); Michael Winterbottom on Code 46 (2003); Shekhar Kapur on The Golden Age (2007); Harmony Korine on Mister Lonely (2007); Anton Corbijn on Control, (2007), earning her a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Film Award nomination; Charlie Kaufman Synecdoche,...
Born in Nottingham in 1977, Morton garnered international attention in 1997 with her performance in Carine Adler’s Under the Skin, earning her a BIFA nomination and the Boston Film Critics Award for Best Actress. She has been nominated for an Academy Award first for Best Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and later for Best Actress for Jim Sheridan’s In America (2003).
Other notable film credits include work with directors such as Lynne Ramsay on Morvern Callar (2002), for which she won Best Performance, Toronto Film Critics Award and a BIFA for Best Actress; Steven Spielberg on Minority Report (2002); Michael Winterbottom on Code 46 (2003); Shekhar Kapur on The Golden Age (2007); Harmony Korine on Mister Lonely (2007); Anton Corbijn on Control, (2007), earning her a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Film Award nomination; Charlie Kaufman Synecdoche,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
From a gorgeous puppet show venue to a minimal 20th-century church via some Brooklyn jazz, the actor and musician picks her current favourites
The actor Samantha Morton was born in Nottingham in 1977 and had a turbulent childhood, spending nine years in and out of foster care. At 13, she joined the Central Junior Television Workshop and in the late 90s broke through in the TV series Band of Gold and a searing performance in Under the Skin. She’s been nominated for an Oscar twice, for Sweet and Lowdown and In America, and won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Myra Hindley in Longford. For her directorial debut, The Unloved (2009), she won a Bafta. Earlier this year she released her first music with producer Richard Russell. Morton lives with the film-maker Harry Holm in East Sussex and has three children. Her BBC Radio 6 Music festive takeover will be broadcast on...
The actor Samantha Morton was born in Nottingham in 1977 and had a turbulent childhood, spending nine years in and out of foster care. At 13, she joined the Central Junior Television Workshop and in the late 90s broke through in the TV series Band of Gold and a searing performance in Under the Skin. She’s been nominated for an Oscar twice, for Sweet and Lowdown and In America, and won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Myra Hindley in Longford. For her directorial debut, The Unloved (2009), she won a Bafta. Earlier this year she released her first music with producer Richard Russell. Morton lives with the film-maker Harry Holm in East Sussex and has three children. Her BBC Radio 6 Music festive takeover will be broadcast on...
- 12/16/2023
- by Killian Fox
- The Guardian - Film News
Peter Gabriel creates a slow-building metaphor for radical terrorism on “Four Kinds of Horses,” the latest single he’s released from his upcoming album, i/o.
On the song, which made its debut Friday as a remix (the “Bright-Side Mix,” by Mark “Spike” Stent), he sings, “Your mind is made up so certain what is right/But when they ordered everything/Will they see you were born so bright.” The music, which features some keys courtesy of Brian Eno, feels atmospheric, swirling and sparkling around Gabriel’s voice. Different mixes...
On the song, which made its debut Friday as a remix (the “Bright-Side Mix,” by Mark “Spike” Stent), he sings, “Your mind is made up so certain what is right/But when they ordered everything/Will they see you were born so bright.” The music, which features some keys courtesy of Brian Eno, feels atmospheric, swirling and sparkling around Gabriel’s voice. Different mixes...
- 5/5/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
May 5th marks another full moon, thus Peter Gabriel has shared another new single. This time, it’s “Four Kinds of Horses,” a cut from his upcoming album i/o. Named after the eponymous Buddhist parable, the track features Brian Eno on synthesizer as well as Gabriel’s daughter Melanie on backing vocals.
The mellow and moody “Four Kinds of Horses” explores “the interesting overlap of religion and peace on the one hand and violence and terrorism on the other.” In a press release, Gabriel explains how the song came together with co-producer Richard Russell, founder of Xl Records.
“I came up with some chords, melodies and words on top of a groove he was working on,” Gabriel says. “We tried a few things that didn’t altogether work and so it lay dormant for quite a while. Then I started playing around with it again and changed the mood...
The mellow and moody “Four Kinds of Horses” explores “the interesting overlap of religion and peace on the one hand and violence and terrorism on the other.” In a press release, Gabriel explains how the song came together with co-producer Richard Russell, founder of Xl Records.
“I came up with some chords, melodies and words on top of a groove he was working on,” Gabriel says. “We tried a few things that didn’t altogether work and so it lay dormant for quite a while. Then I started playing around with it again and changed the mood...
- 5/5/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
Given that he’s an actor who improves every film he appears in – he’s one of the charter members of Empire’s 27 Per Cent-ers’ Club – it’s always good to report when Richard Jenkins has a new job. In this case, he’s playing a powerful real-life politician in Rob Reiner’s Lbj.Woody Harrelson is playing Lyndon Baines Johnson in the film, which follows the man's rise from the South to the White House, and the political turmoil he faced when the assassination of John F. Kennedy suddenly catapulted then Vice President Johnson in to the Oval Office’s big chair. Facing battles on either side of the spectrum, he attempted to heal the nation and secure his legacy by finally passing his predecessor’s Civil Rights Act.Jenkins’ Senator Richard Russell was a connected Georgia politician who initially took Johnson under his wing when the future president...
- 7/22/2015
- EmpireOnline
Richard Jenkins, who was just nominated for an Emmy for his role in Olive Kitteridge, has signed on to portray Senator Richard Russell in Lbj, the movie about Lbj’s ascension to become the 36th President of the United States. Rob Reiner is helming the project with Woody Harrelson portraying Lyndon Baines Johnson. Jenkins will play legendary southern senator Richard Russell, who took Johnson under his wing when he was elected to the senate but would ultimately face off…...
- 7/22/2015
- Deadline
Richard Jenkins will portray Senator Richard Russell in Rob Reiner's "Lbj".
Joey Hartstone penned the script which follows Lbj (Woody Harrelson) and his ascension from the poor hill country of West Texas to the corridors of power in Washington.
Johnson was thrust into the presidency by the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy and the passage of civil rights legislation.
Russell was a powerful Georgia politician who took U.S. President Lyndon Johnson under his wing when he was elected to the senate, but ultimately faced off against him on the issue of civil rights.
Filming will begin in September in New Orleans, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Source: Variety...
Joey Hartstone penned the script which follows Lbj (Woody Harrelson) and his ascension from the poor hill country of West Texas to the corridors of power in Washington.
Johnson was thrust into the presidency by the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy and the passage of civil rights legislation.
Russell was a powerful Georgia politician who took U.S. President Lyndon Johnson under his wing when he was elected to the senate, but ultimately faced off against him on the issue of civil rights.
Filming will begin in September in New Orleans, Dallas and Washington, D.C.
Source: Variety...
- 7/22/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.